Lawrence Dunbar:
Hi bigal20, I used to go to A&Gs for spares when I worked for Jonny Baxter, Up the old wooden stairs take a number out of the box on the wall, Sit down on the wooden seat & wait in turn, The P&G vans was on hire from old Baxter, Can you remember Billy Raffles he worked there when he left school in the 50s, Also would I be correct in saying the head salesman was a Mr Thwaites.? Also Horace Adams in St Thomas St. In the toon, Baxter went off Bedford when he had 3 TK Artics with the Scammell couplings, He said they nearly scint him with all the bother he got, Engines Transmission Hand Brakes & gear boxes Regards Larry.
Hi,Larry, You are correct in naming Mr.Thwaites I have a business card of his;- William A. Thwaites,Assistant Manager, (Commercial Sales) . I can remember the ‘number box’ at the top of the stairs to the parts dept., and Ernie Tiffin serving. also seeing the new TK and TJ chassis cabs, in grey primer with black chassis and wheels, lined up down Dunn St. Regards Eric.
When I was at E.Robson’s, we got some Bedford 28hp. petrol engines,new (or maybe recond.)painted green, in crates,which were surplus ex WD, I think they had been for marine use, as they had ignition parts etc. heavily waterproofed.After some switching of bits, we fitted one to an’ A’ model.
The other ‘A’ model we had was fitted with a Perkins P6 engine, was could be a real swine to start form cold, the KI-Gass starting system not very effective especially in winter. We had to resort to using Aerostart/Easystart, which of course it became hooked on!. Our ‘S’ type (Big Bedford’) had the Perkins R6 engine, which eventually destroyed itself. Regards, Eric.
i am trying to post 2 pic,s,the site will not let me, saying, the extension is not allowed, in red print,can someone please explain,big al.
some diesel engines were hard to start in winter,we had to light fires under jenning,s, albion chieftain and reivers,then put lit newspapers down the intake,it usually did the trick,i also remember, all the apprentices had to start the truck,s first thing in the morning at adams and gibbon and park them in dunn street,with maybe a dozen wagons starting up and ticking over our eyes were streaming, and stinging with the smoke.big al.
Mr. Thwaites business card. Notice St.Thomas St. address. anyone remember this branch?
Regards, Eric.
i can never remember seeing any men in suits, either in the vauxhall workshop or the bedford workshop,they were the same firm, but seemed to work totally seperate,i have never heard of mr thwaites, or mr dodsworth,we were the grease monkeys,as far as i know, st thomas street was total sales of vauxhall cars,no truck,s to my knowledge ever went up there,but as i, or any of the other fitters went up either,i may be wrong,big al.
David Lowdon Loading his Tipper for the MOT,Regards Larry.
Lawrence Dunbar:
David Lowdon Loading his Tipper for the MOT,Regards Larry.0
And past no bother Its a tidy motor for a R Reg. Regards Larry.
Did you know Bill Luntley Al, I worked with him as a youngster around 1968 and I’m sure he had served his time at A & G, he later became Foreman at Fergusons before he was retired. Franky.
sorry frankydobo, i never knew him,he may well have served his time at one of the other depots,i think dunn street was the biggest,i don,t think that any of the dunn street lads ever went to other depots,i know that i did,nt, george gwilliams was the works manager at dunn street, and george stevenson was the foreman,the two hindmarsh brothers were chargehands, gof in the bedford shop, and norman on the vauxhall side.big al.
Frankydobo:
Did you know Bill Luntley Al, I worked with him as a youngster around 1968 and I’m sure he had served his time at A & G, he later became Foreman at Fergusons before he was retired. Franky.
Frankly, l knew Billy Lunty, he worked at Waughs in the seventies. He was as mad as a box of frogs, he left there to start off as an owner driver, after that he went to Ferguson’s. I lost touch with him after that. Regards Kev.
New ERF for McClaren of Belford. Stadium Garage stood where the Marks & Spencer store is now.(opposite Regent Centre) It took its name from the Greyhound stadium (dog track) which was on the site that the ASDA store is now built.
Eric.
In later years, W.L.Paynter, the Gardner engine agent,who was based off Melbourne St., Newcastle, carrying out repairs & supplying parts, merged with Stadium Garage to become Paynter & Stadium.
Eric.
forster:
In later years, W.L.Paynter, the Gardner engine agent,who was based off Melbourne St., Newcastle, carrying out repairs & supplying parts, merged with Stadium Garage to become Paynter & Stadium.
Eric.
Yes I remember we used to get Gardner parts from Paynter & ERF from Stadium, & then they merged. I am surprised on the ad it saying Dodge agents because I can only remember North East Motors as Dodge
i am sure you are right carl,they were on railway street,they had an old yankee dodge for a recovery truck,i used to pass it every day on my motorbike on the way to a&g, two of my mates worked there, brian reay, and jackie earl. big al.
bigal20:
i am sure you are right carl,they were on railway street,they had an old yankee dodge for a recovery truck,i used to pass it every day on my motorbike on the way to a&g, two of my mates worked there, brian reay, and jackie earl. big al.
Hi bigal, They were on Railway Street then they moved to Lemington, The garage is now Asdas, Before that Nettos, I had a brand new Dodge JTN 222 D Tractor unit when I worked for Baxters, Stan Kenny was the forman fitter, The storeman was Called Les, Great lads to deal with, The Dodge tipper that we had came from their Fallon depot near Stirling,Les the storeman new their parts system like the back of his hand, You just told him what you wanted No looking for part numbers, And he returned to the counter and placed them in front of you, Allways correct, Happy days, Regards Larry.
kevmac47:
Frankydobo:
Did you know Bill Luntley Al, I worked with him as a youngster around 1968 and I’m sure he had served his time at A & G, he later became Foreman at Fergusons before he was retired. Franky.
Frankly, l knew Billy Lunty, he worked at Waughs in the seventies. He was as mad as a box of frogs, he left there to start off as an owner driver, after that he went to Ferguson’s. I lost touch with him after that. Regards Kev.
Spot on Kev, IIRC He worked for Alfie Ellis before going to Waughys, He had a 8 wheeler Atki Tipper, He was on the coal jobs, & Did a load or two of Spratts to Hull when in season, I was talking to him a while ago at a funeral He is keeping ok, Regards Larry.
Sorry to inform you lads that Bill Luntley sadly Died in Mid November 2015.
He was cremated on the 26th November at the west road Newcastle.
Bill will be sadly missed,there was never a dull moment when he was around.
Regards
F Troop.
That’s a nasty shock Alec! So sad to hear about Billys’ passing. You are so right about him, never a dull moment when he was around. R.I.P. Billy. 
Regards Kev.
